INDUSTRIAL DISTURBANCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23333, 27 October 1937, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL DISTURBANCES

BIG INCREASE FOR YEAR MOSTLY OF MINOR NATURE BREACHES OF AWARDS • From Oub Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Oct. 26. Forty-two . industrial disturbances occurred during the year ended March 31 last, as compared with 20 in the previous year, according to the annual report of the Department of Labour, which was presented in the House of Representatives to-day. The increase is attributed mainly to disputes centring round the reduction of the working hours to 40 and the restoration of the 1931 wage rates.

The report states that in most cases the disturbances were of a minor nature and settlements were amicably effected. The most serious case was that which occurred at the Westfield and Southdown freezing works just before the Christmas holidays, when 1500 workers adopted "go slow" methods. The trouble arose out of dissatisfaction with the rates of wages and other conditions iin the hew freezing workers' award. ][t is stated in the report that there was no doubt that the lower paid workers had good grounds for dissatisfaction! ,

During the year, the report adds, U 478 complaints of alleged breaches of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act and of awards and industrial agreements were received, but it was found on investigation that in 2133 cases no breach had been committed. In 479 cases proceedings were taken and in 3110 warnings were given. No action was considered necessary in the remaining c^ses. Apart from these complaints a Ici'ge proportion of inspections of factories, shops, etc., included an inspection to ascertain whether the awards and agreements were being complied with in respect of wages, overtime, etc., and as X a result of these inspections 137 prosecutions were taken and warnings were given in other cases. Of the 616 prosecutions 537 were against employers and 79 against workers. There were 493 convictions recorded —424 against employers and 69 against workers. Arrears of wages amounting to £33,854 19s 5d as compared with £11,790 10s 2d for the previous year were collected by the department's officers on behalf of workers who had been underpaid the wages prescribed by the awards and various Acts, the report continues. In addition further amounts of arrears totalling £36,865 15s 7d, as compared with £6349' 16s 6d the year before, were paid by employers at the instance of the inspectors directly to the workers concerned. The report states that proceedings were taken in three cases under the Fair Rents Act, and that penalties amounting to £25 were imposed.